More specifically, three magnificent trees in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Invisible tree activity, like photosynthesis and the absorption and evaporation of water, produces a tiny voltage in the leaves. Inspired by the idea of trying to encourage people to more thoughtful about the magic of trees and to think more carefully about their local tree canopy, sound designer and musician Skooby Laposky has found a way to convert that silent tree activity into music.
By connecting a solar-powered sensor to the leaves of three local trees in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Laposky has succeeded in plugging into the micro voltage of all that invisible tree activity, assign a key and note range to the changes in that electric activity (which varies depending on the season and the weather), and artfully turn the tree’s everyday biological processes into a rather gorgeous, other-worldly ambient music.
You can check out the ethereal tree music yourself by listening to the sound archive of the three Cambridge trees on Hidden Life Radio.
Laposky’s art project features the musical sounds of a honeylocust tree, a red oak, and an 80-year-old copper beech tree, all located outside the Cambridge Public Library. Each tree had a solar-powered biodata sonification kit unobtrusively positioned on one of its branches that records the tree’s subtle hidden electrical activities and translates it into music.